Changes needed in young disabled care

Aged care providers should be given extra money and training to accommodate the needs of young people with a disability living in such centres.

It's one of 12 recommendations of a Senate inquiry into the adequacy of existing residential care arrangements available for young people with severe physical, mental or intellectual disabilities.

The committee urges government to ensure young people living in aged care homes are "intensively" case managed, with their placement reviewed annually.

It wants the establishment of a database of all young people under 65 years of age in such facilities and a placement tool to assess their accommodation and care needs.

Accreditation standards for residential aged care should be changed to include those relating to young people.

Supplementary payments should be provided by the government to ensure such standards can be met, alongside an investment in disability specific training for staff involved in the care of young people, it recommends.

The inquiry calls for a joint state-federal taskforce to be established and for it to report back twice a year.

Previous programs have not adequately addressed the needs of 50-64 year olds, who make up 90 per cent of young people in aged care, the report found.

It notes the inquiry was conducted during the National Disability Insurance Scheme transition period.

The committee recognises the importance of transitioning disability funding and services towards a person-centred model.

"However, (it) notes that there is a lack of clarity around the delivery of certain services using this model."

It's still unclear how capital is to be provided to build the "bricks and mortar" of specialised accommodation for people with a disability, it argues.

"It is the committee's view that young people living in residential care have waited too long and cannot continue to wait for policy development to improve their lives during this transition period."